brianmp

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Hey guys,
I just made 2 gallons (yeah, yeah, I know...) of a variation of Ed Wort's Apfelwein (I used granular cane sugar instead of corn sugar (dextrose) so I think it's considered a hard cider). I used half of a packet of Lalvin K1-V1116 yeast for each gallon and placed a balloon on top of each gallon. Here's where my question comes in: the yeast all went to the bottom a minute or two after I put it in and I'm not sure if I should shake it to "suspend" it or if it should stay at the bottom. I'm sure there's a simple answer but I didn't read anything about this and I want to make sure. Thanks for any help!

Arneba28

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Let it sit. Wait a few days and see if your balloons are expanding.

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brianmp

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Hey thanks a lot Arneba! I'll do just that.

brianmp

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One more easy question - do the yeast need light or not? I'm pretty sure they don't but again I just want to make sure. Thanks!

felix

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it'll be happy in a dark, cool closet.

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brianmp

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Thanks for the help felix!

I've been thinking and reading some more lately and have concocted a few more questions about the whole process. They shouldn't be to bad...

1. If I wanted to start using airlocks for my cider/wine (instead of the simple but hee-haw balloon thing), which one would you suggest? I see most people using the 3-piece airlock and putting vodka in or something like that, and I also see a lot of twin bubble airlocks. How long do these airlocks last and could they be used more than once?

2. How do I know when the fermenting is finished and how do I figure out the alcohol % in it? I know it has something to do with the hydrometer, but I don't know the details.

3. I need to get the whole carbonation thing straight. I think I want to carbonate my apfelwein but I don't really know the process. From what I've read so far, I see that you need to mix a priming solution consiting of sugar and water (?), putting that in the carboy after fermentation is complete, but then I don't know the next step(s). Do I need to add more yeast so carbon dioxide can be produced from the sugar? What happens next?

Thanks for all the help - it is much-appreciated!

Brian

Tusch

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1) I use one piece airlocks, they are they s shaped airlocks. You can fill them with water, sanitizer solution, or vodka. They last forever as long as they continue to seal properly and of course can be used more then once.

2) To use a hydrometer, you must remove a sample from your brew. You can siphon this out, use a wine thief, or just a turkey baster. You need to take it out with out adding oxygen to your brew, so never pour anything out of your brew. Your hydrometer should come with a testing tube, fill with mostly with your sample. Throw in the hydrometer and it will float. There are lines on the side of it representing the Specific gravity of your mixture. This is essentially how much sugar you have in solution. To find out how much alcohol you have, you need to take a reading prior to fermentation, before adding yeast, and after fermentation. starting SG - final SG divided by 7.5 is your abv %.
To find out when it is done fermenting, you should take several hydrometer readings, when you have 3 consistent readings over a week and they make sense, then it is done.

3) When it is done fermenting, completely. Mix 1 oz of priming sugar per gallon with just enough water to boil and dissolve it in. Throw this in your bottling bucket, or wherever you will be bottling from. Siphon your brew on top of this, the siphoning will be enough to properly mix the two together. Bottle it right away and it will carbonate in between 1 and 3 or so weeks. There is not normally any need to add yeast, as there is usually yeast still in solution.

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brianmp

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Thanks Tusch! That was VERY helpful!